Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học Critical Care giúp cho các bạn có thêm kiến thức về ngành y học đề tài: The simple and the simpler in pneumonia diagnosis. | Available online http content 11 3 140 Commentary The simple and the simpler in pneumonia diagnosis Thiago Lisboa and Jordi Rello Critical Care Department Joan XXIII University Hospital. University Rovira Virgili Institut Pere Virgili CIBERes Enfermedades Respiratorias Carrer Mallafre Guasch 4 - 43007 Tarragona Spain Corresponding author Jordi Rello Published 15 June 2007 This article is online at http content 11 3 140 2007 BioMed Central Ltd Critical Care 2007 11 140 doi cc5933 See related research by El Solh et al. http content 11 3 R57 Abstract In the absence of a perfect gold standard for diagnosing pneumonia comparing diagnostic performance between techniques remains controversial. El Solh and coworkers present a study evaluating use of quantitative endotracheal aspirate culture to enhance diagnostic accuracy in pneumonia patients admitted from nursing homes. We discuss the use of quantitative cultures and thresholds to differentiate between colonization and infection in pneumonia patients we also consider the inaccuracy of diagnostic studies which compromises the reproducibility of these data in clinical practice. El Solh and coworkers 1 present an interesting study in which they evaluated use of quantitative endotracheal aspirate QEA cultures as a diagnostic tool for determining presence of pneumonia in ventilated patients admitted from nursing homes. The 2005 American Thoracic Society ATS Infectious Disease Society of America IDSA guidelines 2 recommend that the approach to such patients should be like that in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia VAP . One of the strengths of this study is that it evaluates this specific population. The study compared the diagnostic accuracy of QEA with that of protected specimen brush PSB and bronchoalveolar lavage BAL . Unfortunately the impact of the findings on antibiotic therapy and patient outcomes was not assessed. Other potential .
